Honeybees & Pollen-Dust

1) The Bees were frenetic, with pollen dusting their sides and draped on their legs.

2) Even their antenna were at times coated with the yellow dust.

3) Newly arrived, a still clean Honeybee searches for a pollen-rich spot to begin.

4) Grains of pollen are scattered on a leaf where she paused, a Honeybee seems to glow with golden afternoon light.

5) Shown with backlight alone, her abdomen reveals its translucence.

6) In fewer numbers, Bumblebees join in the frenzy, spending more time crawling among the flowers, than flying between them.

7) Colorful but unidentified, perhaps a wasp.

8) A Carpenter Bee on the wing.

9) Pollen-coated; I wonder how many trips between the tree and the hive she'll make in a single day.

The up and down temperatures in S.E. Virginia over the last several weeks, has brought some trees and flowers into bloom early, and others late. The most recent, and late to flower, was a 30 year old American Field Holly, producing a constant and strong sweet honey-like scent for days, and drawing bees in a steady stream.

* Note for interested photographers: All but one were shot on shutter-priority using a medium shutter-speed of 200, an ISO of 2-400, an accessory flash, and a zoom lens at 250mm, hand-held.

[Please respect the photographer's copyright, and do not download or reproduce any images without prior consent.]